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Movie Reviews
'Invisible Woman' Charts Charles Dickens' Hidden Relationship
A new film explores the affair between Dickens and a young actress for whom he left his wife, but who for years never showed up in biographies of Dickens. It's the second film directed by Ralph Fiennes, who also plays Dickens.
This is FRESH AIR. I'm Dave Davies in for Terry Gross. The new film, "The Invisible Woman," charts the hidden relationship between Charles Dickens and a young actress for whom left his wife, but who for years never showed up in biographies of Dickens. It's the second film directed by Ralph Fiennes, who also plays Dickens and features Felicity Jones as the actress, Nelly Ternan.
Film critic David Edelstein has this review.
DAVID EDELSTEIN: The question at the heart of "The Invisible Woman" is whether a person who is kept a secret can be said to exist. That sounds highfalutin, but it's dramatized well - at times, beautifully - by screenwriter Abi Morgan, director Ralph Fiennes, and above all, Felicity Jones, as the title character - the secret.
Jones plays Ellen, also known as Nelly Ternan, the young mistress of Charles Dickens in the final decade of his life. At least, she seems to have been his mistress - it's about a 99 percent certainty. There's little material evidence, though. The book, by Claire Tomalin, on which the film is based, uncovered some of it. But Ternan's role in Dickens's life took more than a century to come out. The movie evokes what it's like for a woman to be no ill-used, but used with no empathy. The relationship on screen is heartfelt, but the literary giant never thinks of the long-term consequences for anyone, but himself.
Dickens is not an outright villain. He's played by Fiennes in an unusually nuanced portrait, and extraordinary man behaving like an ordinary opportunist. The English-speaking world's most celebrated author finds as Dickens is extroverted, demonstrative, he dithers theatrically. More and more he throws himself into readings of his work. He loves being a public figure. In private though, he's lost interest in his wife, played by Joanna Scanlon, who has grown stout after bearing 10 children.
He meets Nelly at a benefit performance of one of his plays. She's an actress with a protective showbiz mother, played with radiant intelligence by Kristin Scott Thomas. He does not behave like a letch; he's a lyrical suitor, and is amazed when she challenges him and makes him think fresh thoughts.
RALPH FIENNES: (As Charles Dickens) This is my favorite time, when the days creeping up on us and we must to put in order the chaos of the night, stand guard once more, ready for light. A wonderful fact to reflect upon that every human creature has a profound secret and mystery to every other.
FELICITY JONES: (As Nelly Ternan) Until that secret is given to another to look after, and then perhaps two human creatures may know each other. Do you not think?
EDELSTEIN: Out of context, be heightened language of "The Invisible Woman" can sound false, but Fiennes has so much brio that he sells it, and what goes on in the face of Felicity Jones is exquisite. She has a perfect 19th-century look. But even as she casts her eyes down in enforced modesty, there's something forward and modern about her features. The performance is startlingly vivid.
Nelly is not an easy conquest. The film is more than half over before the relationship is consummated. Then Dickens does something shocking. His wife unwittingly opens a present meant for Nelly and Dickens sends her to deliver it to the true recipient. The fallout is explosive.
FIENNES: (As Charles Dickens) Nelly. Nelly. It was a mistake.
JONES: (As Nelly Ternan) Did you send Catherine to me?
FIENNES: (As Charles Dickens) Yes.
JONES: (As Nelly Ternan) She is the mother of your children. How could you be so cruel to her?
FIENNES: (As Charles Dickens) And for that I shall always be grateful. But I do not love her. She comprehends nothing. She sees nothing. I thought if she saw you then she would understand that I have nothing with her. I wanted her to see it.
JONES: (As Nelly Ternan) It. What is it, Charles? What is it that we have? When your wife asked me if I, if I was fond of you, I could not honestly reply. I wanted to say no.
EDELSTEIN: "The Invisible Woman" hit's that invisibility theme hard - and it's sometimes literary in the most strident way. The central story is a flashback and there are many long shots of the older Nelly walking along the beach and remembering, remembering. The soundtrack string quartet is lovely, but overbearing. Yet, Fiennes' achieves what he sets out to do - make every frame quiver with feeling.
The story resonates beyond Dickens. In our time, Joyce Maynard made a pile of money auctioning off her private correspondence with JD Salinger, who seduced her when she was 18 and rudely broke up with her. In the 19th century, Nelly Ternan didn't have that option. After Dickens's death she couldn't come out from his shadow, yet she could remain there and feel well, visible. We don't really know if she made peace with her past. But all these years later, her story belongs in the light.
DAVIES: David Edelstein is film critic for New York magazine. Coming up, we remember poet and playwright, Amiri Baraka, who died yesterday. This is FRESH AIR.
Copyright © 2014 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio record.


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Hat – Triple*fortune
Blouse – ALICE and the PIRATES
Dress – ATELIER PIERROT
Tights – GU
Shoes – NUOVO
Hat – Triple*fortune
Wig – black sheep
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Tokyo's fifth ARTiSM Market, Japan's coolest market place for underground artists
The second part of this two part series focuses on the people at Design Festa 8 comments
The first part of this two part series focuses on the art at Design Festa 4 comments
Dorothy Vacance—one of Tokyo's hidden gems—is offering really cute embroidered patches featuring traditional images of Japan 0 comments
One of Tokyo's most important fashion and design exhibitions, rooms, took place again this week. JAPANESE STREETS picked a few favorites 3 comments
Last year, Israel's famous Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art exhibited over 100 of JAPANESE STREETS photographs 6 comments
What are the prerequisites to enter the school? Are there scholarship opportunities for international students? How much are tuition fees for international students?
Hope all is well with your designs. Delilah
@Rina Thank you!
RIP Japanesestreets.com :"( We will never forget…
@jay I always tried to photograph people that I felt had something special. It was not just about the clothes and hairstyles, I looked for a presence. So, although I did not …
Amazing! She would later go on to become a brilliant singer-songwriter and musician. Did you have any inkling that she had that future ahead of her?
@Anton Johansson Unfortunately, the brand went out of business a long time ago. But his pieces can still be found at online auctions and vintage stores in Japan. If you search …
Anywhere you can buy some fötus pieces? Thanks!
I am a true forest girl, I grew up in the forest. The changing seasons, the falling snow, the glittering stars. These things leave an indelible impression on a person's …
Interesting comment I made way back in 2014. Jotaro Saito's work will soon be exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum!

subset: commoncrawl


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Womens UGG® Neumel Chukka Boot - Black
This season, treat your feet to the unique styling and classic comfort of the Neumel Chukka Boot from UGG®! The Neumel Chukka Boot sports signature suede uppers with sheepskin footbed and lining for casual all-day comfort.
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Founded in 1978 by an Australian surfer on the coast of California, UGG® is a global lifestyle brand renowned for its iconic Classic Boot style. First worn by celebrities, and then the world, UGG® produces footwear, apparel, accessories, and home decor with an uncompromising attitude toward quality and craftsmanship. Only the finest materials are used in the construction of UGG® boots, casual shoes and slippers, using the highest quality leathers and suedes, and of course, the world's finest sheepskin. UGG® is the world's largest purveyor of grade-A sheepskin, and take great care to ensure that every shoe is going to feel great from the moment you slip it on.
Point the camera at your feet to see the shoes!
Show Us Your Style
Show us your style by tagging us @journeys on social media.


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When we make up your order all the products are double checked before despatch and leave our premises in perfect condition. Dry goods and bottles are carefully packed. Perishable, fresh and frozen goods can only be delivered to LS postcodes ONLY. Alternativley for large orders or commercial enquiries please contact us on 0113 262 3322 or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com to make alternative arrangements or to collect from Casa Mia, 10-12 Stainbeck Lane, Leeds, LS7 3QY
Vouchers are sent by first class post. In case of loss or theft of a voucher no duplicates will be issued. Where vouchers are ordered along with other items, the entire order will be dispatched together using the standard delivery methods as detailed below. We contract various couriers to deliver our products to almost all postcodes in the UK. On the delivery address form, as well as the delivery address, we recommend that you specify an alternative secure location at the delivery address such as "the porch", "the garage", etc – but entirely at your risk. We also ask for the telephone number of the delivery address. All this extra information, which will be retained if you register with us, will help to ensure that your order is delivered on time.
If the driver has to leave the order at the secure location or in exceptional circumstances bring your order back to the depot, he or she will put a card through your letterbox with an explanation and contact details. If you wish to trace your order or have a problem regarding the delivery of your order please do not hesitate to telephone us on 0113 262 3322 or send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com for help.
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Morning Minutes: Feb. 12
Morning Minutes: Feb. 12
Word of the Day, Website of the Day, Number to Know, This Day in History, Today's Featured Birthday and Daily Quote.
Word of the Day
Smaragdine smuh-RAG-din (adjective) Of or relating to emeralds - dictionary.com
Website of the Day
Rhapsody In Blue: Gershwin At His Greatest
Listen to the radio broadcast that accompanied the addition of "Rhapsody in Blue" to NPR's list of 50 essential classical recordings. Also listen to Gershwin's most famous song, first performed by Leonard Bernstein and the Columbia Symphony today in 1924.
Number to Know
55: Number of senators who voted that former President Bill Clinton was not guilty of perjury.
This Day in History
Feb. 12, 1999: President Bill Clinton is acquitted after a five-week impeachment trial in which he was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.
Today's Featured Birthday
Comedian Arsenio Hall (57)
Daily Quote
"Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." - Stephen Hawking


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30 Ultimate Italian Recipes
Florentine Lasagna
Frozen spinach amps up the nutrition in this Italian-American comfort-food staple. To cut down on calories and fat, use turkey sausage.Florentine Lasagna
Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce
This easy classic marinara gets its robust flavor from dry red wine and snipped fresh basil.Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce
Chicken and Sweet Pepper Linguine Alfredo
Summer squash, zucchini and sweet red pepper add color and crunch to this dish; light Alfredo sauce lowers the fat and calories compared to many traditional Italian recipes.Chicken and Sweet Pepper Linguine Alfredo
Stuffed Italian Meatballs
Spiced Italian sausage encases melty mozzarella cheese for meatballs perfect dipped in marinara sauce, stuffed into a calzone or plopped on top of spaghetti.Stuffed Italian Meatballs
Mama Carolla's Bruschetta
Top warm, crispy baguette slices with a slice of fresh tomato, basil and garlic for this classic Italian appetizer. Garnish with a basil leaf and smoked mozzarella.Mama Carolla's Bruschetta
Irresistible Tiramisu
This elegant coffee dessert is a favorite Italian treat. Layer espresso-soaked ladyfingers between creamy mascarpone-vanilla filling. Air-dry soft ladyfingers before using in tiramisu.Irresistible Tiramisu
Pizza Margherita
Margherita pizza celebrates the perfect union of ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and soft mozzarella cheese. This type of crispy-crust pizza originated in Naples, Italy.Pizza Margherita
Classic Lasagna
With its rich meaty sauce and creamy cheese layers, this lasagna is always a favorite main dish.Classic Lasagna
Italian Wedding Soup with Escarole
The marriage of plump meatballs and hearty greens makes this soup a standout. Miniature pasta pieces and carrots dot the savory chicken broth base.Italian Wedding Soup with Escarole
Pepperoni Pizza Pull
This warm and cheesy pull-apart bread takes just a few minutes to make. Keep the ingredients on hand, and you'll always have a quick appetizer, snack or supper bread.Pepperoni Pizza Pull
Sausage and Mushroom Tomato Sauce
Sausage and mushrooms make this sauce extra-filling, while the pimiento-stuffed green olives give it some bite.Sausage and Mushroom Tomato Sauce
The Original Toasted Ravioli
This fried ravioli recipe comes from Charlie Gitto's on the Hill in St. Louis. For a quick dinner, substitute frozen ravioli for fresh and serve topped with purchased marinara sauce.The Original Toasted Ravioli
Italian Beef Sandwiches
Italian seasonings flavor boneless beef sirloin or beef rump roast in your slow cooker. Top sandwiches with Italian cheeses, assorted peppers or sliced pepperoncini.Italian Beef Sandwiches
Creamy Artichoke Lasagna
Ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella form the cheesy base for this lasagna. Artichokes, basil and pine nuts add crowd-pleasing, nontraditional ingredients.Creamy Artichoke Lasagna
Italian Pork with Sweet Potatoes
Mix fennel, garlic and oregano for a pork shoulder rub. Sweet potatoes cook alongside the entree in a slow cooker.Italian Pork with Sweet Potatoes
Smoky Calzones
Frozen pizza dough speeds prep time on these calzones. Personalize the filling by substituting different cheeses or adding vegetables, such as green peppers, onions and mushrooms.Smoky Calzones
Creamy Marinara Sauce
Whipping cream makes this simple pasta sauce rich and smooth.Creamy Marinara Sauce
Italian Basil, Tomato, and Pasta Salad
This layered make-ahead pasta salad highlights the flavors of olives and green beans as well as basil and tomato.Italian Basil, Tomato, and Pasta Salad
Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Slow-cooking creates tender, flavorful chicken with a creamy tomato sauce perfect for serving on a bed of pasta. Sprinkle with fresh basil, parsley and thyme just before serving.Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Cream-Filled Cannoli
Thin, crispy shells encase a sweet, creamy center with a hint of rum and sprinkle of chocolate chips.Cream-Filled Cannoli
Chicken Veneto
Artichokes, white wine and pistachios add flavor and texture to a simple sauce spooned over sauteed chicken. This classic Italian recipe takes only 30 minutes from start to finish.Chicken Veneto
It's Italian Sausage Soup
This rich, spicy soup gets its name from zesty browned Italian sausage. Orzo pasta and vegetables round out the ingredients.It's Italian Sausage Soup
Double Chocolate Biscotti
Cocoa powder and chocolate chips blend in these crunchy, twice-baked Italian cookies. They're perfect for dipping into a cup of coffee or a glass of sweet wine.Double Chocolate Biscotti
Easy Italian Chicken
This slow-cooker creation goes together quickly with purchased spaghetti sauce, a jar of sliced mushrooms, and chopped cabbage and onion.Easy Italian Chicken
Blue-Ribbon Italian Sauce and Meatballs
This traditional spaghetti recipe comes from a Kansas City, Missouri, reader who learned it from her Italian relatives. The secret: Starch from a potato thickens the sauce.Blue-Ribbon Italian Sauce and Meatballs
Bartolino's Meatballs
Serve these meatballs with marinara sauce over pasta or in a hoagie bun. Both the meatballs and the sauce recipe are from Bartolino's restaurant in St. Louis.Bartolino's MeatballsMarinara Sauce
Spinach Pizza Bread
A loaf of frozen bread dough speeds prep time of this savory bread. Serve the spirals with a marinara sauce dipper.Spinach Pizza Bread
Italian Rice Salad
Mix homemade garlic vinaigrette with basmati rice, artichoke hearts and fresh peppers for this make-ahead salad. "Delicious!" writes one of our website reviewers. "Will definitely be making this on a regular basis."Italian Rice Salad
Zuppa Inglese
For this standout dessert, layer custard with orange-flavor syrup, pound cake and fresh raspberries. Top it with whipped cream and chocolate curls.Zuppa Inglese
Linguini with Shrimp and Pine Nuts
Dry sherry flavors the broth, and crushed red pepper adds a tiny bite to this pasta dish from Bartolino's in St. Louis.Linguini with Shrimp and Pine Nuts
Salsiccia Bread
Salsiccia is Italian for sausage, and it's a tasty part of the filling in this recipe from St. Louis' Di Gregorio Imported Foods, which also sells the salsiccia. The mixture makes a spiraling swirl down the middle of the bread.Salsiccia Bread
Free printable cookbooks
Enjoy more of our favorite recipes in any of our free printable cookbooks.Top 10 Slow-Cooker Recipes Cookbook10 Favorite Casseroles CookbookBest of the Midwest Recipe Contest Winners Cookbook7 Fresh Chicken Recipes Cookbook21 Sweet Corn Recipes Cookbook14 Fall Harvest Recipes Cookbook


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Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com.
Compare Climbers: Click to compare ascents of up to 5 climbers working on this list.
This list is really just a subset of the Eastern Canada 2000-foot Prominence Peaks list, excluding the Appalachian peaks and lisiting just those in Labrador. See that list for a detailled analysis of this list.
Labrador here is defined as the region of Labrador, not the politically-defined northern part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Therefore, peaks in far northern Quebec are also included.
= Peak with Rank #1 on List;   = Other Peaks
This page has been served 769097 times since 2004-11-01.


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Two Bolt Hangers Break, Climber Falls
On August 23, Brad Chum Carter and Boyd Fackler walked up to climb on the Sport Wall at Index's Upper Town Wall near Seattle. Carter chose the techy, vertical Calling Wolfgang (5.12b), bolted in 1990 by Greg Child. Carter climbed to the first bolt and paused to check it out. I knew the route was old and had not been inspected for a while, he said. The bolt seemed OK so I figured they were all the same.
On August 23, Brad Chum Carter and Boyd Fackler walked up to climb on the Sport Wall at Index's Upper Town Wall near Seattle. Carter chose the techy, vertical Calling Wolfgang (5.12b), bolted in 1990 by Greg Child.
Carter climbed to the first bolt and paused to check it out. I knew the route was old and had not been inspected for a while, he said. The bolt seemed OK so I figured they were all the same.
He reached the second bolt, asked Fackler to Take so he could brush dirt off the wall and continued upward. After clipping the third bolt, Carter again hung to dust off the holds.
He heard the ping of breaking metal, then plunged. Another ping sounded when the second hanger also broke, the metal shards bouncing off a ledge to his right.Luckily, the high first bolt held and Carter stopped inches short of the ground, with Fackler holding down tight.
Carter was bruised and scraped but otherwise unharmed.
Accidents involving broken bolts are thankfully rare, but far from unheard-of. Bolt failures most often occur at climbing areas in marine environments, such as Thailand or Sardinia, and involve a process known as Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC). The chloride ion present in salt water instigates corrosion that follows lines of stress in a tightened steel bolt, much like grass grows in small cracks in concrete and forces the pieces apart, according to a report posted by the American Safe Climbing Association. SCC is a well-documented phenomenon, and can cause bolt failure in as little as 18 months.
The night after his accident, Carter described it on cascadeclimbers.com. Several climbers suggested SCC or galvanic corrosion, an electrochemical process in which one metal corrodes when in contact with a different type of metal, e.g., an aluminum hanger on a steel bolt.
But two days later, when the shards of the busted hanger were recovered and examined, and a photo showing the flaky interior edges at the break was posted, another, equally insidious process seemed to be at work.
The hanger was a circa 1990 Kong-Bonatti aluminum bolt hanger, which showed signs of a type of deterioration known as exfoliation corrosion, possibly exacerbated by a galvanic action brought on by pairing dissimilar metals in the wet environment of the Pacific Northwest. In a post on cascadeclimbers.com a metallurgist described the process: In this particular form of intergranular corrosion the expansive force of insoluble corrosion products tends to force the grains apart and leads to exfoliation corrosion, sometimes known as lamellar or layer corrosion. In extreme cases, the edges of the affected area are leaf-like, and resemble the separated pages of a wetted book that has become swollen and begun to open up.
According to a report by metalimprovement.com, a metal-treatment company specializing in aircraft maintenance: Where fasteners are involved, exfoliation corrosion extends outward from the fastener hole, either from the entire circumference of the hole, or in one direction from a segment of the hole. In severe cases, the surface bulges outward, but in less severe cases, there may be no telltale blisters.
Just like you would with natural protection, always visually inspect bolts and hangers on older rock climbs. Hand-tighten loose nuts and look for corrosion.
All aluminum hangers are suspect and should be replaced. Unfortunately, there is no practical test for whether a hanger is aluminum. Several manufacturers still make aluminum hangers to be used as emergency anchors, mainly in caving applications.
This particular incident illustrates the value of guidebooks listing the first ascentionist and the year of the ascent, since similar routes can be easily flagged and maintained. Greg Child told Rock and Ice that he and Greg Collum used these hangers in the 1980s. According to Child, the hangers were stamped as full-strength. He says. There are a lot of them sprinkled around Index.
Finally, always use the highest quality equipment when placing permanent anchors. Match your hardware to your environment. If you're bolting in a marine environment, use a titanium glue-in bolt such as the Ushba Tortuga.


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George Will: Recipe for conservative revival
Happy days are not here again, but they are coming for conservatives. Barack Obama -- with the lowest approval rating (according to Gallup, 50 percent, four points lower than that of the National Rifle Association) of any re-elected president when inaugurated since the Second World War -- has a contradictory agenda certain to stimulate a conservative revival.
Consider his vow to expend political capital on climate change. The absurdity of the Kyoto approach -- global climate treaties agreed to by 190 nations -- is now obvious even to most former enthusiasts. Obama can propose cutting U.S. fossil fuel emissions (just 16 percent of the global total) with a carbon tax or cap-and-trade scheme, but Congress will pass neither. So he will be reduced to administrative gestures costly to job growth, and government spending -- often crony capitalism -- for green energy incommensurate with his rhetoric.
He says "the threat of climate change" is apparent in "raging fires," "crippling drought" and "more powerful storms." Are fires raging now more than ever? (There were a third fewer U.S. wildfires in 2012 than in 2006.) Are the number and severity of fires determined by climate change rather than forestry and land use practices? Is today's drought worse than, say, that of the Dust Bowl, and was it caused by 1930s global warming? As for "more powerful storms":
Because Sandy struck New York City, where the nation's media now congregate and participate in the city's provincialism, this storm was declared more cosmically momentous than the 74 other hurricanes that have hit or come near the city since 1800. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina was called a consequence of global warming and hence a harbinger of increasing numbers of Category 3 or higher hurricanes. Since then, major hurricane activity has plummeted. No Category 3 has hit the U.S. since 2005. Sandy was just a Category 1.
Obama's vow to adjust Earth's thermostat followed the report that 2012 was the hottest year on record in the contiguous 48 states. But The Wall Street Journal's Holman Jenkins, who has concisely posed the actual climate policy choice ("How much should we spend on climate change in order to have no effect on climate change?"), has noted that although 2012 was 2.13 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than 2011, "2008, in the contiguous U.S., was two degrees cooler than 2006." And "2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 were all cooler than 1998 by a larger margin than 2012 was hotter than 1998." Such is the rigor of many who preen as devotees of science, they declared the 2012 temperatures in the contiguous states (1.58 percent of the Earth's surface) proof of catastrophic "global" warming.
A flourishing American economic sector is fossil fuels -- especially oil and natural gas -- which the Obama administration seems to regret and often impedes (see: fracking and the Keystone XL pipeline). Yet the natural gas boom is one of the main reasons why in 2012, U.S. fossil fuel emissions were the lowest since 1992. Obama's wariness about the pipeline suggests that he subscribes to some environmentalists' stupendously weird theory: If the pipeline is not built to carry oil from the (supposedly dangerous) development of Canadian tar sands, Canada will leave those sands undeveloped rather than sell the oil to China.
Small businesses create most new jobs, but many businesses are avoiding hiring a 50th employee, or are replacing full-time employees with those working fewer than 30 hours a week, to avoid Obamacare's costly requirements regarding provision of health insurance. Some colleges and universities are reducing to 29 the number of hours adjunct professors can teach, which is condign punishment for those professors -- most of them, surely -- who favored Obamacare.
It and other regulatory burdens, combined with the subsidization of not working (47.5 million receiving food stamps, 8.6 million receiving disability payments, unemployment benefits extended from 26 weeks to 73 weeks -- so far), partially explain this fact provided by Richard Vedder of the American Enterprise Institute: "If today the country had the same proportion of persons of working age employed as it did in 2000, the U.S. would have almost 14 million more people contributing to the economy." Fourteen million is more than the combined workforces of 18 states.
In the rhetorical cotton candy of his inaugural address -- sugary, and mostly air -- Obama spoke of "investing in" rising generations, and said: "America's possibilities are limitless." He ignores the encroaching limits imposed on the nation by his policies that are funded by debt that will burden those generations.
George Will's email address is firstname.lastname@example.com.
Washington Post Writers Group


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Refurbishment of a mountain path to stimulate economic activity and thus contribute to the revitalisation of the neighbouring rural areas.
Refurbishment of a mountain path to stimulate economic activity and thus contribute to the revitalisation of the neighbouring rural areas.
A female entrepreneur set up a company to produce high quality fashion products made of natural material.
The 'Terroir Moselle wine and architecture route' is a 'preparatory' cooperation project gathering six LEADER areas, five wine growing areas from four regions and three countries.
A project to help keep elderly people living at home safe and happy.
In order to strengthen and expand the function of a community café as a focal point of the village community, the outdoor area of the old school hosting the café was rebuilt and designed in such a way that community events can be held outdoors.
A community centre used support from the rural development programme to enhance its services and premises in order not to exclude people with Dementia.
A sports club used RDP support to renovate its facilities and offer a space that contributes to the integration of immigrants in the local society.
A project that aimed to mobilise society, build inter-generational cooperation and promote the region's culinary tradition as means to preserve its cultural heritage.
Helping a new type of rural enterprise that can support a transition towards a green, diversified rural economy. Coillte Sláintiúil provides services to protect, rejuvenate and replace native woodlands.
A community project in which young people actively participated in shaping their environment and strengthened the cohesion of their community.


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Don't keep putting it off. Start your CAREER today!THE PENNSYLVANIA CDL COURSE PACKAGE COVERS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PASS THE PENNSYLVANIA CDL WRITTEN AND SKILLS TESTS FOR ALL CLASSES OF PENNSYLVANIA CDL AND ALL AVAILABLE PENNSYLVANIA CDL ENDORSEMENTS.
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vehicle endorsement required)
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|School Bus
What is the COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT OF 1986 (CMVSA/86) administered by the FMCSA?
It is a law passed by the United States Congress which requires ALL the individual states to comply with certain standards in regards to the licensing of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. Pennsylvania driver licensing standards comply with the law, requiring CMV drivers to obtain a Pennsylvania Commercial Driver's License (CDL) when driving applicable trucks and buses. A CDL license can ONLY be issued in the driver's STATE OF LEGAL RESIDENCE, and if you have a CDL, you can have NO OTHER DRIVER'S LICENSE in ANY other state.
When do I need a Pennsylvania CDL instead of my regular Pennsylvania Drivers License?
A Pennsylvania CDL is required if you operate any of the following CMV's . . .
1. A vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 26,000 lbs.
2. A vehicle towing a unit with a manufacturer's GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs. when the GCWR exceeds 26,000 lbs.
3. A vehicle used to . . .(a.) carry 15 or more passengers (excluding the driver), or (b.) carry (15) or less people (including the driver) when carrying children to or from school and home regularly for compensation.
4. A vehicle carrying hazardous materials in amounts requiring placarding.
What are the eligibility requirements to obtain a Pennsylvania CDL?
1. You must be 21 years old. (18 years if all commercial driving is done within Pennsylvania and if no hazardous materials requiring placarding are transported and if you do not drive double or triple trailer rigs).
2. You must be physically capable (in accordance with the MCSR 49 CFR 391.41 Physical Qualifications for Drivers regulations) of obtaining a valid DOT medical examiner's card (before being issued a CDL permit or taking any CDL skills test).
3. You must otherwise qualify for the license based on your driving record. Any of the following will disqualify you from obtaining a Pennsylvania CDL . . .
* If you possess a license from any state other than Pennsylvania.
* If you are currently subject to any disqualification of your commercial driving privilege from Pennsylvania or any other state.
* If your license is currently suspended, revoked, denied, or cancelled.
* If you have a conviction for operating a commercial motor vehicle while impaired in the 24 months immediately preceding application.
* other technical rules, and further restrictions that pertain only to Pennsylvania are covered in detail within the Course.
How do I obtain a Pennsylvania CDL?
1. Show your Pennsylvania driver license.
2. You must take and pass all Pennsylvania examinations that apply to your license class and endorsement requirements.
3. Show proof of social security number.
4. Meet Pennsylvania driver record eligibility requirements as determined by the State.
5. Fill out an application including certifications.
6. Provide a DOT medical certificate and pass the required CDL knowledge and vision tests (BEFORE a CDL Temporary Instruction Permit will be issued).
7. Pay the Pennsylvania CDL fees.
8. Schedule, take, and pass your Pennsylvania CDL skills test.
A separate booklet is included in the Pennsylvania CDL Course package which covers information such as fees, locations, contacts, procedures and other items specific to Pennsylvania for the written and skills examinations for ALL classes of CDL and ALL available endorsements.What is a CDL "Skills Test" and how do I take it?
So let's say I get a Pennsylvania CDL. Can I use it Out-of-State?
Yes! It is good throughout the entire United States.
Can my Pennsylvania CDL be suspended or revoked?
Yes, there are MANY reasons that your Pennsylvania CDL can be suspended or revoked. Improper use of alcohol or drugs, traffic violations, and failure to notify top the list. The Course details ALL of the rules regarding suspension or revocation. The point to remember is that alcohol or drug use is not tolerated and your record WILL FOLLOW YOU THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES FOREVER!!!
So let's say that my Pennsylvania CDL is revoked. Can't I just apply for a CDL in another State?
No!!! Those days are gone.
Are there any exemptions to being required to have Pennsylvania CDL?
Yes, a few . . .
1. Active Duty Military . . . with military licenses operating military vehicles.
2. Firefighters . . . meeting approved training standards and operating authorized emergency vehicles.
3. Farmers . . . in certain cases.
4. Individuals ....operating motor homes or other vehicles used exclusively to transport personal possessions or family members, for non business purposes.
What do the terms Class A, Class B, and Class C mean on my Pennsylvania CDL?
It refers to the type of vehicle that you may operate . . .
CLASS A . . . allows you to operate vehicles which tow trailers or other vehicles with a GVWR over 10,000 pounds. A Class "A" license also allows you to operate Class B and C vehicles.
CLASS B . . . allows you to operate single vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs or more OR a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more, towing trailers/vehicles rated at 10,000 pounds GVWR or less. A Class "B" license also allows you to operate Class C vehicles.
CLASS C . . .allows you to operate vehicles under 26,001 lbs. GVWR, that would normally not require a CDL; except when they are designed to transport 16 or more persons including the driver; or that carry 15 or less people (including the driver) transporting children to or from school and home regularly for compensation, or carry hazardous materials in amounts requiring placarding. Applicable endorsements are required.
What are Endorsement Codes and when do I need them on my Pennsylvania CDL?
Endorsements are necessary for certain commercial driving requirements as follows . . .
(T) DOUBLE or TRIPLE TRAILERS.
(P) PASSENGER. For vehicles which are designed to carry 16 or more people (including the driver); or those which carry 15 or less people (including the driver) transporting children to or from school and home regularly for compensation.
(N) TANK VEHICLES. For vehicles designed to haul liquids or liquefied gases in bulk in permanently mounted tanks or portable tanks rated at 1,000 gallons or more.
(H) HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. To carry hazardous materials in amounts requiring placards.
(X) Endorsement code designating a Tank (N) vehicle that carries Hazardous Materials (H).
I'm over 18 years old, but not 21 years old yet. Can I get a Pennsylvania CDL license?
Yes . . . with restrictions. You are limited to INTRAstate driving of commercial vehicles (you cannot drive a commercial truck or bus out of Pennsylvania). You cannot drive a vehicle requiring HAZ MAT placarding, cannot drive double or triple trailer rigs and cannot drive a School Bus with children on board until you turn 21 years of age.
|We could go on and on with FAQs but I hope this covers most of your GENERAL questions. Please be assured that the Course answers EVERYTHING that you need to know to obtain ANY or ALL of the available CDL licenses and endorsements in an easy to understand manner. The material is presented in three different ways to reinforce your retention. GOOD LUCK !!


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Russia's ongoing dismemberment of Ukraine and the Islamic State's erasing of Middle Eastern borders have distracted attention from the harassment of U.S. Navy aircraft by Chinese fighter jets over the South China Sea. Beijing calls this sea, and the Yellow and East China seas, the "near seas," meaning China's seas. The episodes involving aircraft are relevant to one of Adm. Jonathan Greenert's multiplying preoccupations — CUES, meaning Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea.
This is designed to prevent incendiary accidents, a topic of special interest during this month's centennial commemorations of the beginning of a war that, ignited by miscalculations, ruined the 20th century. Greenert, chief of naval operations, has carrier-based aircraft flying from the Persian Gulf to targets in Iraq. He is, however, always thinking about the far side of the largest ocean.
One hundred years ago, the principal challenge of world diplomacy, which failed spectacularly, was to peacefully integrate a rising, restless power — Germany — into the international system. Today's comparable challenge is China. Greenert, who knows well his Chinese counterpart, Adm. Wu Shengli, radiates a serene patience about China.
Today the Chinese have one primitive aircraft carrier built from a hull bought from Ukraine. Greenert says China is about 10 years away from having a seriously large and capable carrier with excellent aircraft. By which time, optimists hope, China will accept the need for orderliness on the seas over which pass 90 percent of the world's trade (by volume) and beneath which, through cables, pass 95 percent of international phone and Internet traffic.
Greenert's Navy, which has fewer (290) but much more capable ships than the Navy had during the Reagan buildup (594), can still move nimbly to put anti-missile ships near North Korea or F/A-18s over the Islamic State. But cascading dangers are compelling Americans to think afresh about something they prefer not to think about at all — foreign policy. What they decide that they want will define the kind of nation they want the United States to be. This abstract question entails a concrete one: What kind of navy do Americans want? The answer will determine whether U.S. power can, in Greenert's formulation, "be where it matters when it matters."
China's naval buildup is eliciting countervailing forces, including Japan's naval expansion, which Greenert says includes ships as capable as ours. Japan's constitution restricts the nation's Self-Defense Forces to just that — defensive activities — but the constitution can be construed permissively to allow, for example, defenses against ballistic missiles and the protection of allies. This is one reason Greenert says it is reasonable to speak of a 1,000-ship naval force encompassing the assets of nations — such as India, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and the Philippines — that have no agenda beyond maintaining the maritime order on which world commerce depends.
The most momentous naval event in world history, an event more important than the developments of sail and steam power, was the Jan. 17, 1955, signal from the USS Nautilus: "Underway on nuclear power." A nuclear navy can stay on station. Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) who chairs the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, notes that with America having fewer land bases overseas, aircraft carriers effectively "move U.S. soil anywhere in the world."
A Chinese intellectual says his country has an "outward-leaning economy." China's economic dynamism, and hence its political stability and geopolitical weight, depends on seaborne imports of natural resources and seaborne exports to distant markets. China, which has territorial disputes in common waters with its neighbors, worries, Forbes says, primarily about America's navy.
Forbes worries about China's development of "carrier-buster" anti-ship missiles that "will back our carriers away from Chinese territory," including those seas that China considers its own. A carrier can cost approximately $13 billion, but that is, Forbes says, acceptable for a product that will project national power for 50 years. The U.S. Navy, with embarked Marines, is the primary instrument for the use of military power.
The question, however, is: Do Americans, demoralized by squandered valor in Iraq and Afghanistan, and dismayed in dramatically different ways by two consecutive commanders in chief — the recklessness of one and the lassitude of his successor — want U.S. power projected? They will answer that question with the Navy their representatives configure. The representatives should act on the assumption that every generation lives either in war years or in what subsequent historians will call "interwar years."
Read more from George F. Will's archive or follow him on Facebook.
Read more about this topic:
David Ignatius: China's assertiveness leaves its neighbors anxious
George F. Will: America's Navy and the rise of China
Michèle Flournoy and Ely Ratner: China's territorial advances must be kept in check by the United States
The Post's View: A Beijing power play in the South China Sea is met with U.S. inaction


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Margaret Agnes Ann Green (known as Agnes) would have been about 11 when her father was transferred to the Cape Colony from Canada. She was born in Nova Scotia, where her father, William Green, was in the commissariat department of the British Army, and her mother, Margaret Gray, died when she was about 9 or 10. Several of her brothers went on to make names for themselves in southern Africa, but she soon left for New South Wales.
She married William Wilson, presumably at the Cape, when she was about 15 or 16, and went with him to Australia in about 1853 on the Countess of Yarborough. Their first child was born at Sydney early in 1854. They moved to Moruya, about 300 km south of Sydney, soon afterwards, and her husband was storekeeper on the Kiora Estate. He was drowned in the Tuross River in April 1856, leaving her a widow at the age of 20 with two young children, one aged 2 years and the other 8 months.
In 1858, at the age of 22, she married again to Alfred Dawson Francis. Between them they had four children, and went on to have another four, and continued to live at Moruya.
Francis committed suicide in 1864. Agnes was then 28 years old, and had four young children, ranging in age from almost 10 to 18 months, and was pregnant with a fifth (her second child had died five years previously). There was not much chance of opening a school at Moruya, so she moved inland to Queanbeyan, New South Wales, and opened a school there, which later became the Queanbeyan public school. Perhaps it was because it would have been impractical for her to run a school and look after a toddler that she left the youngest, Edith Lilian, with the McLeod family of Bateman's Bay (also on the south coast, just north of Moruya). Her assistant teacher was a Miss Goote, who later married her brother Alfred.
The new school was recognised as a National School in August 1864, but met with some opposition from local clergy, especially the Anglicans and Presbyterians. who preferred denominational schools. This, coupled with the fact that the school was just across the road from the Methodist Church, may be why she was a Methodist in later years. There were several incidents of harassment, with people prowling in the garden and windows being broken.
When the new baby arrived, she found it difficult to make ends meet, and Captain E.M. Battye, a former military officer turned policeman, persuaded her to leave the youngest child, Louisa, with them. Captain Battye had been stationed in Nova Scotia, and so knew Agnes Francis's family, and no doubt knew her as she was growing up there (letter from Caroline Brathwaite to her niece Katie Pollock, see Cowley 1996:198). Caroline claimed that Captain Battye was with her grandfather (William Goodall Green) at the Cape Colony, but the dates make this seem unlikely, and it is more likely that they knew each other in Nova Scotia, since the Battyes went to New South Wales in 1847, about the time that the Greens went to the Cape.
It is possible too that Captain Battye was the natural father of Louisa, since Alfred Dawson Francis died 8 months before she was born, and had been living away from the family, in Sydney, for four months before his death.
Agnes Francis sent in her resignation in June 1865, barely a year after starting the school, and after an unsuccessful attempt to take private pupils moved to Sydney, probably before the end of 1865.
The family had not been in Sydney long when her eldest daughter, Caroline Wilson, was sent to stay with her brother Edward Lister Green in New Zealand.
In 1871 Agnes married Walter William McLean Thwaites in Sydney, and had four more children by him. She married him again in Adelaide in 1879, after the birth of their children (his first wife was still alive at the time of their first marriage – see Cowley 1996:82). In 1887 she was back at Queanbeyan, trying to open another school.
According to Bruce McLeod, a relation said she remarried "Napoleon Wilson in 1869, possibly a member of her family"). According to her death certificate, she was born in Nova Scotia, North America, and she had lived 3 years in South Australia, 4 years in Victoria, and 20 years in N.S. Wales. Her first marriage took place in Cape Town, South Africa, when she was 15 years old.
Her three years in South Australia were possibly at the time of her second marriage to Thwaites, though they do not seem to have stayed together long after that.
She was the "Arthur Francis's mother" who had a letter from "Judge Wiekalet" (probably Gustavus Wicksteed, who married her mother's sister). This letter, of which handwritten copies circulated among the family in South Africa, contributed to the legend of royal descent. Margaret A.A. Green also received a monthly pension from the Bank of Montreal, of which her grandfather John Gray was founder and first president.
She seems to have had a pretty tough life, and none of her three husbands seem to have been much of a support to her.
There is more about her on our Family Wiki site.
Much of the research on her life was done by Bob Cowley of New South Wales, who wrote a comprehensive (though unpublished) history of the Cowley, Green and related families of Australia. Agnes Green's son-in-law was Sir William Throsby Bridges, who founded the Australian military college at Duntroon, near where she had opened her pioneer school.
This post is part of a Carnival of Genealogy on Women's History. Click the link to read some of the other posts.
Filed under: Australia, family history, genealogy, Green family | Tagged: Agnes Francis, Agnes Green, Agnes Thwaites, Agnes Wilson, Australian education, Australian women, Carnival of Genealogy, education, Francis family, Green family, Green family history, Margaret Agnes Anne Green, pioneer teachers, Thwaites family, Wilson family, Women's History | 6 Comments »


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Whether you're a job seeking college graduate or working professional, if you want to keep your career and personal life separate, chances are you have meticulously managed your Facebook's privacy settings so that strangers are unable to view your photos, check-ins, and other private information. However, even if you think you have it all under control, one web developer found a way around the entire Facebook privacy system that will allow anyone to see your profile if you have mutual friends.
Appropriately named Stalkbook, MIT graduate Oliver Yeh has created a Facebook app that collects user data as a third party developer via the Facebook API. This information can show Yeh personal information of a stranger, which he can essentially exploit and share on Stalkbook. Yeh shares an example.
"With this API, I can have access to my friend Trevor's information. And what Stalkbook does is it goes through all of a user's information and all of the friends of the user's information and stores a cache copy on the website, so that when somebody else visits Stalkbook, they now have access to a cache version of Facebook's data, even though they don't have permission to access Trevor's information," he explains to IEEE.
Simply speaking, the app works by putting you, the user, under the guise of your Facebook friend so you can see personal information of another profile you aren't friends with.
"So, the photo version works by whenever a person signs on to the application; not only does he reveal his or her own information but he also compromises all of his or her friends' information too," Yeh said. "If I sign on to the site, then my friend Trevor would also be signed on to the site because I'm friends with Trevor. And because with my credentials, I can see Trevor's information. Now, everyone on the Internet can also see Trevor's information by using my credentials.
"And as more people sign up to Stalkbook, you get this network effect, in which you only need perhaps 10 percent of Facebook to join to compromise 80 to 90 percent of Facebook."
If this is still confusing, consult the pictograph to the right. Pretty much, whenever someone logs into their Facebook account, all their friends' information are compromised. Yeh did note that only Likes, photo tags, comments, and status updates would be viewable but not private messages.
Now that you understand how wild the concept is and are sufficiently freaked out, take a seat. There are a few factors that would prevent not-yet-released Stalkbook from ever making it to the general audience.
While it is normal for developers to receive some user data to run their apps, it is against Facebook's terms of service to solicit information and login access belong to someone else. Under the rules for developer apps, one guideline also states that the developer "will not use, display, share, or transfer a user's data in a manner inconsistent with your privacy policy" while another restricts developers from such action by requiring them to "comply with all other restrictions contained in our Facebook Platform Policies."
So there. In case you were planning to stalk your ex-lovers via your mutual friends using Stalkbook, you might need to stick to the old fashion route of actually friending them, or get your mutual friends to dish the dirty deets. What Stalkbook does show, however, is that getting around Facebook's privacy settings isn't as difficult as you'd think so whatever you end up sharing on Facebook will never truly be private.
Image by Sandy Woodruff
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Jeffrey Toobin and Areva Martin look at the ruling in a complex custody case involving the Indian Child Welfare Act.
I believe that all Native American families work the same. It is true that in the Native American culture the entire tribe is responsible for the rearing of a child. If I was unable to raise my children a sister brother aunt uncle grandma would step in and do it not put it on "outsiders" to do. Tribes are very tight knit communities everyone knows everyone everyone takes care of everyone. It has been passed down genereationally as a result of the past violence and wrongs that happend to Native people. I see it every day people saying let go of the past it happend decades ago. That is an easy comment to make but hard to act on. As a result of the past the Native Culture has become very protective of whats theirs (children land, soverniegty). Not treating children as a material item but as a part of them that the "white" cultre can no longer take. Listen to some stories read some books of how children daily had to run and hide because if caught by the social service worker you would be sent away. It is instilled in them generation after generation. I can imagine the hurt of these adoptive parents becasue i have heard this type of story over and over again from native familys. A 70 year old Native man or women could tell you many stories of ABDUCTION from parents. Every one in this situtation was done a diservice by the ADOPTION AGENCY. Veronica should have never been available for adoption in the first place without first exhausting all tribal avenues (family) first. Regardless if she was a "drop" of native blood or not. As far has her having a larger Hispanic ethanticty well maybe they should work on law to help them until then she is Native first no matter the amount.
I'm with Gary, when I saw this story it was very incomplete. You didn't ask ONE Native American his or her thoughts on this. Furthermore why don't you look up Native Americans like my father who was adopted into a non-native american family and how much of a identity crisis it was for him throughout his entire life. How he never got to meet his real family and come to know his heritage. I don't know if many know this but Native Americans are the most Federally regulated minority group in this nation. There are federal laws out there to protect our children from ending up in a white home against biological parents wishes, like my father.............
I don't know how I feel about the decision, but I have faith that with the whole world watching this man raising his child–he won't put one toe out of line. I hope.
I think that the perspective on this story does not take into account the relationship between the United States government and Native American people and their children. The history of Native children being taken from their Native parents does not just go back 30 years. To my knowledge, most Native children in the early part of the 20th century where placed into Indian Boarding schools, where they were forced to give up their Native identity and language. They were only allowed to see their parents 3 months out of the year. All four of my grandparents attended these schools, some of them did not even learn English until they were 9 years old. Two generations later, the language and traditions have been lost for many Native families. The biological mother broke the law when she withheld information from the tribe that the baby was being put up for adoption. I empathize with the adopted family, I feel like they are the real victims in this case. What the biological mother did was very unfair to the adopted family.
How awful for this child to be taken from the only parents she knows. It is obivious that the adoptive parents and the child have bonded, and to take her away from that is not in Veronica's "best interests". I hope this case goes to the Supreme Court. The biological parents signed away their right to the child; they didn't want her. Now the father changes his mind? It's just not right.
The father did not agree to this adoption. He did not give up his rights to his child. He's been fighting since she was four months old to get her back (we don't even know if he knew the mother was pregnant, or knew about the adoption before that). He's been fighting for her for over a year. Of course they bonded with her. If the adoptive family had not fought to remove his parental rights for so long, it wouldn't be heart breaking for the little girl. I have no pity for the parents.
An important aspect of the Indian Child Welfare Act reftlects a cultural difference between Mainstream culture and Native American culture. In Native American culture, if for any reason both parents are unable or unwilling to parent their child then the aunts and grandmothers would step in to care for the child. This would, of course, include uncles, grandfathers, cousins, and it would extend to the entire tribe. Thus Veronica is the entire tribe's responsibility. She should be placed outside the tribe only if the entire tribe is unwilling or unable to care for her.
If every last Indian child were adopted out, tribal membership would one day be reduced to zero. The sovereign nation would cease to exist. Native culture would be lost. There are those in the culture currently in power who would like to see this happen. Perhaps now you can see the interest of the tribe that is at stake here.
May the spirit of brotherhood be over us all.
It in not the fathers fault that his child was placed for adoption, Why should he be punishe, just because a white family in a good neighborhood with a job wants to keep this little girl, nor is it reason to go all the way to the supreme court...are you kidding. The law is the law, Why look for loop holes to make a wrong thing to do out of what has been righted. Leave this man alone to raise his child!
The right thing has been done. Perhaps visitation my be done for those that "adopted" the child, but her best interests are with her blood father.
Brenda childrens best interests are to be with the parents they know & love not to be sent to some stranger. Try to imagine how terrified and confused this child is to be ripped from her parents arms. This father is thinking of himself not his daughter. It's him who should have visitation not the other way around. Biology does not make you a parent, parenting does.
The ruling specified that the two years the child was with the adoptive parents should not count against the father because the case started when the child was 4 months old. The judges said it would not be fair to say he should lose his child because it took the courts 2 years to make a final ruling. The judges were right. Good lawyers can keep a case for years through appeals, while their clients keep physical custody, even if under the law they should not have had custody to begin with. What the judges also said was that the ICWA was intended for cases like Veronica's, and had the adoptive parents lawyers correctly proceeded with the adoption, they would not have been given custody of Veronica when she was a baby.
He was in the military and deployed fighting for his country and his life. He was not in his right frame of mind when he made his initial decision and changed it 2 weeks later. Its his baby the right decision was made no if ands or buts. Its a clear decision not even factoring in the Indian law (which was put into effect for a reason) Sorry Native American babies r not ez for the takings anymore. No im not sorry bout that just a fact.
The father never signed her over for adoption. He never agreed to it. Regardless of his Indian heritage, they took her without his consent.
This case is about the child's best interest. We have all seen many cases of adopted children or know someone who has been adopted who wonder, at the very least, where they originated from. Some adopted children grow up to be adults and always wonder about their biological parent. How great for this child, that they can someday look at the facts and have their own biological father tell that child, " I fought for you, because I wanted you." That speaks volumes to a child's and even an adults self esteem. That is what this is about. I am sure that family took great care of that child for how ever long and they are having to deal with their personal loss and I empathize with them as I have been there in their shoes, but in the end, that child has been given the best gift, the ability to be automatically connected to their biological family and not have to wonder about one side of their biological family. That is one less issue she has to face and we all know that daily life is hard enough without having those particular issues. She will have to someday come to terms about not having her biological mother and dealing with that personal issue but at least now, she will have her biological father who can hopefully, in a supportive and positive manner, help her comes to terms with that issue as well. This is a win for that child.
Kara – Visitation with her biological father would have given her the same genological information without ripping her from the only parents she's ever known. Separation anxiety, failure to bond, living with a stranger how terrifying for this baby all these things will beset this poor child and could leave lasting trauma none of which the father seems to care about. How selfish!
Has anyone given a thought to what this is doing to this baby's soul ? She is not an object that can be OWNED,given and retrieved like a THING.
I'm surprised that a native Indian would even want to do this. The Indian babies that I have seen here in Canada are loved and nurtured.
You wouldn't treat a baby animal like they are doing to this poor baby, simply because she needs to know native culture. Eventually she could have the oppotunity to learn about her cultural history.
These and other similiar stories is why I will NEVER adopt a child. I would prefer to remain barren than to have to worry that I would lose the child due to some legal wrangling. I will try other medical avenues to achieve my family.
I do not understand why the best interest of a tribe is more important than the best interest of the child. How come the wishes of the birth mom are being ignored? There are no winners here at all.
Lynn- adoptive parents are real parents, thank you very much. I honestly cannot believe that you have written such an awful thing.
Lucas – I believe you need to do your homework as well, regarding this case.
It really kills me that so many are taking the side of the birth father. Poor Veronica, that's all.
Veronica IS INDEED a member of that tribe. so being in the best interest of the tribe is also in her best interest as a member herself. She is entitled to her cultural heritage. She is entitled to a natural, biological father who loves her. She is entitled to extended family and the support of her own tribe. She is entitled to the financial benefits of being a tribal member. Education, medical care. Why would ANYONE deny her that? This IS in her best interest.
The wishes of the birth mother are ignored because she is not the only parent involved. The birth father has rights too, and no matter what the mother wants they do not just disappear because she wants to give the baby to someone else.
Although her book may be viewed as fiction, there are incredible parallels between this story and the story told by Barbara Kingsolver, author of Pigs In Heaven. The story includes the Cherokee Nation and its rights in raising its children in the heritage, and the angst of a mother for her adopted child when dealing with this law.
The court in this instance ( Veronica's case) might have learned something from the wisdom of the tribe that was exhibited in Kingsolver's book ( you'll have to read it for yourself ! )
"There was a time"? Really, have you looked into South Dakota's recent behavior where the STATE is taking children & putting them into a privately owned group home that has ties to the Governor..making money for the WHITE stock holders who are paid by federal govt to "care" for the Indian kids. These Indian kids are not being encouraged to stay culturally connected to their culture or their tribal communities. To top it off the group home is hundreds of miles from the tribal communities whereby denying families the means to stay connected. Its the new/old form of stripping Native American kids of their cultural identity and financially benefiting White politicians.
I hope they take this to the SUPREME COURT. This was NOT in the best interest of the child.
Guess u have no love for the military or what they go through. And the child obviously is his. It would not have taken this long for him to get his daughter back had they done the right thing n not drug it out in court. Sorry i dont feel sorry for the selfish non adoptive (they did not legally adopt her) family that didnt do the right thing and give her back when he changed his mind 2 weeks later.
Of course this was in the best interest of the child! Her father wanted her and fought for her! Thank God he did so she wouldn't have to go through her life wondering who she REALLY is and why no one wanted her!
Just ask any of the millions of adult adoptee's! Think before you speak!!
I guess it's in the best interest of the child to take her from her father without his consent and make him fight a legal battle for two years to get her back?
The biological father and the little girl were wronged severely. The "adoptive" family who never actually adopted her and could not legally adopt her anyway have been draining Charleston dry for donations. They've gotten thousands of dollars and their supporters vandalized the biological father's home. These people do not deserve a child. I'm glad that the little girl is with her real father and family.
Lynn, you are so wrong. This little girl wiill have issues in regards to trust and bonding with others. I am sorry that someone vandalized his house but it was probably someone that took advantage of what was going on and not anyone from the Coalition. I will pray for Veronica and her family, that she be kept safe and be allowed to know how much she was loved the first 2 years of her life.
She was loved the first two years of her life... by her biological father. If she was loved by her adoptive (supposed) parents, they would have reunited her with her father who never signed over his rights for her to be adopted instead of dragging it out for two years.
This story absolutely breaks my heart for everyone involved … but mostly little Veronica. So many legal and adoptive systems failed in this situation it is mind boggling. I have to wonder … was there ever the consideration for shared custody, or at least visitation rights for the adoptive family? Did the Capobiano's have the knowledge, legal information prior to the adoption to avoid this situation? And are there laws/ services in place in the USA to protect adoptive parents from situations like this? I also feel the birth father should take some steps towards the Capobiano's to involve them in Veronica's life, he should be thankful for the 2 years of love and care they provided to his daughter despite any legal wrangling.
Shannon (Victoria BC Canada)
Shannon, Why should the biological father have to thank the adopters for caring for HIS daughter, when he spent years wrangling with the US legal system to get her back from them. Just because he was in the military on active duty is not a reason to take a man's own flesh and blood baby, is it? If you think adoption is so great and so loving, why don't you give the couple one of your own kids. I am sure they would appreciate YOUR sacrifice. In fact, the other commenters here and on other sites, who claim to support infant adoption even though there are no health or safety issues, could each sacrifice one of their own newborns to this couple. Now, that is truly the loving option of adoption.
Chad, very well said. I could not agree more!
In the court ruling it states that the FATHER made it known when the child was 4 month old that he wanted to PARENT his daughter. At that point, the Capobianco's could/should have returned her to her father, thus avoiding her being in their home and care for TWO YEARS and setting HER up for all the trauma of "being ripped from the only family she's known". Instead, they made the father fight for 2 years to regain custody of his child. Also included in the court ruling; the bio mom repeatedly claimed the father was a member of the tribe. However the attorney the C's hired to represent the bio mom (conflict of interest maybe?) made "clerical errors" when inquiring about his membership, the outcome of which meant the tribe wasn't able to identify him as a member (b/c they were given incorrect information). The C's KNEW he was an active member. Further, paperwork completed after V's birth failed to ID the dad's tribal affiliation. By Oklahoma law, V would have never been allowed to leave the state had the paperwork been accurately completed. Mom admitted knowing that could derail the adoption plan. "Protect the adoptive parents"? How about protect natural parents, especially fathers who have little to no rights to their children, and protecting children from the numerous deceptive adoption practices; from the so called "clerical errors" that are far too COMMON but have life altering effects on all 3 sides of the adoption triad. Adoption is a billion dollar industry!
Native American childeren need to stay with their people, to learn their traditional culture. These people never should have had this child in the first place. Reservations are sovereign nations. Countries within states. Do a real story, like how like Old cheif Joseph would not sighn the treaty of 1863 cause he did't want his lands chopped into three states ( Oregon, Washington, and Idaho) and when young cheif Joseph and ollakaut continued their fathers wishes to never sell the land where your families were laid to rest. They were massacered and never allowed to see their lands again. Look up what was done to the Natives when they were indoctrinated in the bording schools. How bout the Indian relocation programs through the 60's and 70's. The last native American massacre was the Pine Ridge innocent in the 70's, the same decade that the Indian child welfare act was sighned. You east coast people imprison us all with your fear mongering in the name of security. This story is incomplete. Do more homework.
Lucas, I sense alot of anger in your comment. I agree what happened in the past was horrible but it is now time to move on, but not forget. ICWA when put in place was relavent, not anymore. It's a law that is now hurting children and families and does not allow a native child the same protection under our constitution. Children of today should not have to keep continue to pay the price of the past. A childs best interest should always be the most important thing, not the tribes. I do not believe that any of this has to do with perserving culture as it does with money. There is no gaurantee that if a child is placed with a native on oroff the reservation that he will learn his culture. Unfortunately there are not enough native american homes to take in these children. Most of these children are born drug and alcohol affected and taken from addicted parents. Then placed in foster care and many times they are their for years until another home can be found that is native. It is not fair to these children to yank them from the only home they know and have fully bonded. These children will have issues when it comes to trusting others, attaching to others along with all the problems that comes with being affected by drugs and alcohol. The law needs to be ammended. Native parents should have soul say so over what goes on with their children and not the tribe.
Regardless of whether you think ICWA is relevant anymore, the fact that he was deployed at the time of the adoption and never gave his consent for his child to be adopted makes this matter very simple. Charge the adoptive parents with kidnapping his child and be done with it.
This child is 1/16 American Indian. What about the other 15/16 of her blood lines.? The ICWA was used by the sperm donor to manipulate the system. He only wanted the child so he could get more money from the military.
Really April? You know this how? He never consented to the adoption and was apparently not even in the country. What would you do if you came back from a trip for your employer to find that a couple had adopted your child? Roll over and take it? He fought for his child, I assume you would do the same... He's not a sperm donor, he's a father. The egg donor was simply an incubator.
do you know for a fact that the father is using the chlid for additional money from the military, or are you just blowing smoke?? If a child fits into the definition of how the particular tribe defines its membership then the the 15/16 really doesn't matter when claiming indian preference.
Atrocities were committed on all sides back then, though. My own ancestors were abducted by members of a PA tribe, along with their three children. When the infant became ill, the Native Americans held her under river ice until she died. They later attempted to burn my 5x great grandfather alive, but he was rescued by French traders at the last minute. He and his wife escaped, but it took them 8 years to get their older children back from the tribe: their son didn't even remember them by that point. MY point is that people are people, no matter what color their skin is. Some are good, some are bad, but it dehumanizes any race paint them all one way or another.
I cannot agree with you more Lucas!! I work everyday with ICWA and it kills me that Non-Native people do not understand how detrimental it is to our cultural and to the child to be taken from our people and our lands.
Well Said
Yes they are, and they have worse crime stats and worse education then most of America. This poor little girl had a chance; now she'll be sent to a worse situation. And as a military spouse, I don't see a lot of great single dads in the service.
My mom was the director of a child welfare and adoption agency, and I was her Admin Asst. for awhile. There are a number of things that need to be dealt with when a child is potentially placed for adoption. For example, even in the case of rape, a good faith effort has to be made to locate the bio. father, even going to the extent that ads are placed in possibly several different newspapers. Another thing is that in the event of Native American heritage, the TRIBE, not just the bio. mom and dad, must sign off on any adoptions. This is serious. At the agency my mom helmed, no adoption could go through w/out the tribe signing off. In fact, at this particular agency, they had the tribe sign off on every adoption, simply because the proximity of the reservation might allow doubt. As the 1978 law contends, the best interests of the TRIBE must be considered. I contend that whatever agency facilitated this adoption did not do their due diligence. Either they ignored the Native American connection, or they did not do enough research to discover this link. I encourage AC360 to research this aspect of the case.
I applaud the adopted parents for taken care of this child however; being a father of four children and also being Native American the child should be with her Dad. CNN never interviewed the Mother and made it seem as though the Father never even cared about his daughter without given the entire story or mitigating circumstances that might have happened in the past. The child is Native American and should be with her own culture to learn and understand the realities of the past. I believe the child will be loved and cared for through family and those of her culture so it was the right thing to do.
Gary, I ask you about the mother's Latino heritage, is that not as important. How can we in this day and age say that sher is better off with one or the other. The law needs to be ammended. A native child is not any different then any other child. They have the same and needs and wants as any other. To be loved and cared for, but most of all a stable family. Veronica is over 50% Latino and I believe only 1-3% Native, if anything she should be raised with that heritage in mind. This is a tragedy and should not be happening.
Thank God for the law, or this kidnapping masquerading as an adoption would have stood. He didn't consent to the adoption. He wasn't here to fight it, and when he was able to fight it, they fought him long enough for it to "break her heart" to have to leave them. They aren't parents, they are vile IMHO. Thank God she was put with the person who loves her.


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Home » Electroacoustic/Contemporary » ANTHOLOGY OF DUTCH ELECTRONIC TAPE MUSIC VOL 1 1955-1966 (dbl CD):
ANTHOLOGY OF DUTCH ELECTRONIC TAPE MUSIC VOL 1 1955-1966 (dbl CD):
A long awaited reissue on CD of the near legendary limited edition LP series, edited by Dick Raaijmakers, released by Donemus in 1978. These are works by Hans Kox, Ton de Leeuw, Jan Boerman, Jaap Spek, Rudolph Escher, Henk Badings, Dick Raaijmakers, Frits Weiland, Tom Dissevelt, Axel Meijer, Robbert van de Neeve, Peter Schat, Tom Bruynel, Will Eisma, Klaus Gorter, Luctor Ponse and Berend Giltay. With thorough, essential and informative notes, and a history, by Raaijmakers and the individual composers.
Code: BASTA3-9182-2
Price: £19.50


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Review: Siesta Key Dark Rum
Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 4, 2012
Drum Circle Distilling is a small artisan distillery located in Sarasota, Florida. Their distillation system was crafted for the distillery by Christian Carl, a German company which has been producing distillation systems for over 150 years. Working directly with Christian Carl, Drum Circle Distilling was able to custom design a small-batch copper still (which can be run as a simple pot still or with a side column) which they believe is perfect for making great tasting rum. This distillation system operates in a 6400 square foot work space which also includes barrel racks for aging, as well as labeling and bottling stations. At this Florida distillery the spirits are hand-crafted from beginning to end in a batch style production cycle from Florida grown sugar cane.
I was sent a sample of the Siesta Key Gold Rum for the purpose of a review upon my website. After a somewhat tortuous journey my sample arrived a few weeks ago.
Here is an excerpt from my review:
"… The immediate nose brings forward sweet butterscotch, orange peel, almond and vanilla. I allowed the glass to breathe a few minutes, and noticed that a few oak spices had entered the breezes with a few scattered baking spices… "
Here is a link to the full review;
Review: Siesta Key Dark Rum
I have include a couple of recipes which work well with the rum, the Celebration Cocktail and my own Sloe Lime Daiquiri.
Please enjoy my review, and the cocktails that follow!
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Medical Genetics Test Details
View Custom Req | Tests in Custom Req: 0
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After much deliberation, our distinguished panel of judges has selected this year's winning films. Congratulations to all of the filmmakers and teams who participated. We are proud to announce our winners.
Kudos to [winfilm:team-label] for winning Best Film of 2007. Their film [winfilm:label] will go on to represent San Antonio against all the other city winners around the world at Filmapalooza 2008.


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For a limited time all suites will be up to 30% off at participating resorts.
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OFFER TERMS & CONDITIONS Sweet Suite Sale Advance Purchase: Valid for current Hilton Honors™ Members only. Honors Discount Advance Purchase is subject to availability at participating hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio for up to two rooms per member and must be booked directly through Hilton owned booking channels, including Honors.com or any Hilton Reservation call center. Payments for bookings at Advance Purchase/Non Refundable rates are not refundable and bookings may not be modified. Each hotel has specific booking terms and conditions that vary and might include length of stay requirements, day of week restrictions, deposit requirements and blackout dates. Please check with your hotel at the time of booking to determine if any additional conditions apply. Full non refundable prepayment required at time of booking. Your credit card will be charged immediately for the total amount quoted for the entire stay. The Honors Discount Advance Purchase Rate discounts vary by hotel and commonly range from seven (7) to thirty (30) percent off Best Available Rate. Policies regarding changes to Advance Purchase/Non Refundable reservations may vary. No refunds or credits will be made for any changes, cancellation or non arrival on check in date for any reason. Charges cannot be applied to other stays, services or merchandise. No prices or hotel availability are guaranteed until full payment is received. Even after full payment has been received, we reserve the right to cancel a reservation without notice if we become aware of or are notified of any fraudulent or illegal activity associated with the payment for this reservation. Extensions will require a new reservation for the additional date(s), subject to availability and prevailing rates, and this rate shall not apply. Tax exempt forms will not be accepted in conjunction with an Advanced Purchase reservations. 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Solar Improvements for the Home
Once homeowners commit to one form of solar improvement, they soon start inquiring about other options as well. Here's how to answer their need and grow your business.
While roofing skills are needed to install all forms of roof-mounted solar equipment, specialized skills are needed for individual solar applications. In the case of solar-PV systems, the lead installer should have a journeyman level understanding of household electricity, and of direct-current (DC) electricity up to 600 volts. And for companies providing a complete turnkey installation, the ability to tie in new equipment with the existing home is a must. For example, an older home with an outdated electrical infrastructure will require upgrades to accommodate a solar-PV system. Subpanels or new service panel upgrades will need to be installed. This will generally require stucco repair and matching paint to maintain aesthetic continuity.
And if the homeowner wants to install a solar-thermal water-heating system, the lead installer must have specialized plumbing skills, as well as framing and general-carpentry skills, in order to run water lines inside walls.
At Progressive Power Group, a company focused on solar improvements for the home, crews consist of three people with a diversified mix of skills, including electrical, framing, plumbing, and general carpentry. Rather than compete for large-scale solar projects in the commercial and utility sector, we decided to focus on residential installations when several of our existing customers, beginning in 2006, started calling on us to secure state and federal rebates for energy efficiency upgrades to their homes, including solar PV, thermal, and lighting.
The Solar Life of the RileysOur venture into diversified solar products begins with the Riley residence in Huntington Beach, California. The Rileys were frustrated with the lack of lighting in their kitchen, and we presented three options for them to consider: Install a bigger window above the sink, install more canned lights in the ceiling, or retrofit with a solar tube. A skylight was not a viable option; there was too much vertical distance between the roof and the kitchen ceiling. Installing a bigger window not only would be very expensive but would provide only a little extra light, since the exterior wall faced east; the kitchen would be lighter only in the morning. More canned lights would have meant higher energy costs, even with energy-efficient lightbulbs. So the decision was made to install a solar tube.
A solar tube can be thought of as a hybrid skylight. It is compact in size, inexpensive to install, and flexible enough to navigate obstructions in the attic. It consists of a domelike structure that is mounted on the roof like a whirlybird, requiring only a few patches to roofing shingles or tiles. In the ceiling, a small cutout holds a frosted-glass plate with a mirrored duct that connects to the roof-mounted dome. Light passes through the dome, reflects off the connecting duct, and provides light to interior spaces like the Rileys' kitchen.
Estimating the cost benefit requires a few calculations, all of which are subject to local utility rates, the targeted profit margin, and the cost of alternatives such as windows or lighting. Contractor-related costs for installation are usually around $395 per unit, while the unit itself retails for $800–1,000. Ideally, a contractor would want to install a minimum of three units on one home to keep a crew of two people busy for one day. Estimating payback for the homeowner requires adding up the alternative lighting loads (converted to kW) and multiplying this number by the utility rate (in dollars/kWh) and the amount of time the owner expects to use the light (measured in hours).
Payback (years) = Retail cost / (Load kW x $/kWh x Hours of use) / 365
For the Rileys, the new solar tube in the kitchen offset the equivalent of five 75W lightbulbs for about four hours each day. Since utility rates average about $0.25/kWh in their community, installation of the solar tube resulted in an annual savings of about $137 with a payback of 6.2 years.
The next solar improvement for the Riley household consisted of installing 14 grid-tied solar-PV modules to reduce electric consumption from the local utility. Solar PV has dominated the press over the past few years, when it comes to solar-related technologies. Therefore, we will only highlight the basic payback formula and some professional practices that may help readers to differentiate among the various kinds of contractors who install them. Near our offices in Garden Grove, California, we have seen an explosion of contractors entering this field—from fewer than 10 in 2007 to over 150 in 2010.
To figure payback for solar PV, one must know how much daylight is available for energy production, the quality of the solar modules and inverter converting the sunlight into kWh, and the cost of the installation net of rebates and tax savings.
Payback (years) = Net retail cost / (Daily kWh production x $/kWh) / 365
Experts in solar PV are going to great lengths to differentiate themselves from newer competitors these days. For example, some companies are now giving warranties on energy production measured in kWh rather than manufacturer specifications measured in kW at standard test conditions. So if a company provides a warranty on an average production of 15 kWh per day during a one-year period, and the system produces less than 95% of that energy, the solar installer will correct the problem at no additional cost to the homeowner. However, extra guarantees rarely come at a discount from qualified installers, and homeowners should expect to pay a 5% premium if they want these guarantees.
It has been our standard practice at Progressive Power to provide energy production warranties in addition to manufacturer warranties for solar PV. However, with the increase in local competition and the influx of inexperienced contractors driving prices down, we have had a difficult time getting customers to pay a premium for these warranties. At the end of the day, we wind up with lower profit margins and higher liability. But in lean times, continuing to fund operations has been paramount in creating a business with traction and longevity. The extra bells and whistles on our product have certainly given us an edge on the competition and prepared us for the future.
Solar tubes and solar PV complement each other nicely. One trims electric consumption by providing natural daylight to dark interiors, while the other powers such necessary creature comforts as HVAC, refrigeration, evening light, computers, and TVs. But what about offsetting the cost of water heaters requiring natural gas?
Once homeowners commit to one form of solar improvement, they soon start inquiring about other options as well.
Getting into hot water
Popularized in the late 1970s and early 1980s in California, solar water heating is a simple technology, with low enough costs to provide a lifetime of use and return on investment. Vaillant Solar Systems of Del Mar, California, manufactures a thermal system that uses high-density salts to heat coils in a water tank. The heated saline solution in the tubing creates a natural convection loop from the roof to the tank and back to the roof, minimizing the electrical load on the pump. The result is a very efficient process for heating water for showers, the swimming pool, or the spa.
Solar technology goes beyond heating water and charging batteries to providing electricity and interior light. And contractors with a diversified crew—one with the electrical, plumbing, framing, and general-carpentry skills—can offer their customers all these solar options and install them in a professional manner. In the end, the contractor benefits by keeping the crews busy, and the homeowner benefits from lower utility bills and an improved lifestyle.
Chris Staskewicz is co-founder of Progressive Power Group and has been involved in the solar and energy industries since 2001.
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To learn more about Progressive Power Group, go to www.propowergroup.com.
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What to Watch: Secrets revealed on tonight's 'The Americans'
On TV
On tonight's episode of "The Americans," everyone's favorite KGB agents llving in America (played by Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys) learn surprising details about a fallen comrade. Margo Martindale, of "The Hours" and "Million Dollar Baby" fame, guest stars as a fellow agent. FX 10 p.m. EST.
Trending topic
The Italian magazine Chi has caused another royal photo controversy, this time by publishing photos of a pregnant Kate Middleton in a swimsuit while on vaction in Mustique. The magazine also printed photos of the Duke and Duchess walking along the beach and playing in the waves. A spokesman for the couple condemned the magazine, saying "This is a clear breach of the couple's right to privacy." Chi came under fire last year for publishing photos of the Duchess of Cambridge sunbathing topless while on vacation in France.
Hot video: Is the feud between Justin Bieber and the Black Keys' Patrick Carney over already?
GateHouse News Service


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This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Melvin Wessell, 65 years old, born on March 30, 1953, and passed away on February 14, 2019. We will remember him forever.
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